Is a Del Taco franchisee permitted to use 'Del Taco' in their entity name?

According to Del Taco's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, a franchisee is explicitly prohibited from using the name "Del Taco," "Del," or any other names used by Del Taco in their entity's name. This restriction is in place to protect Del Taco's brand identity and ensure consistent representation across all franchise locations.

This stipulation means that prospective franchisees must choose a business name for their legal entity that does not include any of Del Taco's proprietary names or marks. This is a common practice in franchising, as franchisors typically want to maintain control over their brand and prevent any potential confusion or misrepresentation that could arise from franchisees using similar names.

The franchisee's right to use the Del Taco name is strictly limited to operating and advertising the restaurant as authorized by the franchise agreement. This includes using the name "Del Taco" without any prefixes or suffixes, unless otherwise directed by Del Taco in writing. This ensures uniformity in branding and marketing efforts across all Del Taco locations.

Upon termination or expiration of the franchise agreement, the franchisee must also take action to cancel any assumed name registrations that include the "Del Taco" name or any other proprietary marks. This further reinforces Del Taco's control over its brand and prevents former franchisees from continuing to use the name in any way after the agreement ends.